Monday Sports Report 2
Welcome to the Monday Sports Report. We hope you all had a good Easter and Passover, if you celebrate them.
Easter Sunday saw the beginning of the Ardennes Triple week, with both the women’s and men’s Amstel Gold Race. Mischa Bredewold won the women’s race. It was event-filled, with an early crash, essentially eliminating some of the big favourites like Demi Vollering, early on. Mattias Skjelmose shocked the world by, not only catching Tadej Pogačar after a solo effort, but by beating him and Olympic Champion Remco Evenepoel in a sprint finish. The second part is La Flèche Wallonne, on Wednesday, and the Ardennes Triple culminates with Liège–Bastogne–Liège next Sunday.
The Red Roses moved a step closer to defending the Women’s Six Nations by demolishing Scotland 59 - 7. France narrowly overcame Italy, to set up a Grand Slam decider with England, at Twickenham, next weekend. Wales lost heavily to Ireland. They will face off for the dreaded Wooden Spoon against Italy next weekend. They must beat the Italians and hope that Scotland lose to Ireland.
In the Women’s Champions league semi-finals, Barcelona thumped Chelsea 4-1 and Lyon edged past Arsenal, to win 2-1. The second legs are to be played on Sunday 27th of April.
Leicester City were relegated from the Premier League, after losing to Liverpool, who moved to within one win from the title.
Oscar Piastri took the lead in the F1 Driver’s Championship, by winning the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix.
Kyren Wilson became the latest victim of the Crucible Curse. Last year’s defending champion lost to debutant Lei Peifan, in the Snooker World Championship 1st Round. He becomes the 20th player in the Curse Club (ok, we made that phrase up). But no first-time champion has successfully defended their crown, since the championships moved to The Crucible, in 1977.
Meanwhile, there was sad news from the world of cycling, as Barry Hoban passed away, aged 85. The British cycling icon one 8 Tour de France stages, 2 La Vuelta stages, and beat both Eddy Merckx and Roger De Vlaeminck to win the 1967 Gent-Wevelgem.
See you next Monday.